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evol Foods

Bean, Rice & Cheddar Cheese Burrito and Shredded Beef Burrito

We first discovered evol Foods back in 2011 when we tasted their first few bowls, then discovered their Mini Burritos. We were less impressed with their flatbreads, but they kept our good opinion until they branched out into mac & cheese, all of which (especially the gluten-free mac & cheeses) were terrible. Since then we've beaten up on them pretty hard for getting away from what we have seen as their core competency: burritos (and to some extent Mexican food as a whole).

After five years, it's only fair that we revisit their core competency, wouldn't you say?

Lately it's been our policy to avoid reading our old reviews before revisiting the items so we're not swayed either way by expectations, so we were impressed by the numbers for today's burritos: 340 calories, (ONLY) 250 milligrams of sodium, and 6 grams of fiber in the Beans, Rice & Cheese Burrito, and 370 calories, 250 milligrams of sodium, and 4 grams of fiber in the Shredded Beef Burrito. That level of sodium is downright impressive, and the amount of fiber is respectable. Certainly nothing to complain about purely from a numbers standpoint.

Nor is there anything to complain about after cooking. We started with the Bean, Rice & Cheddar Burrito, cooking it according to the instructions: uncovered, on a microwave-safe plate, 1 minute per side. For many, if not most, burritos this would yield a product that had burst down one side and was slimy to the touch, but this burrito neither bursts nor is slimy. After letting it sit for a minute or two, we could easily pick it up to eat it and found that the filling, like the Sweet Earth Burritos we like so much, goes all the way to the end, both of which are impressive for a frozen burrito.

It has a clean, fresh flour aroma with just a hint of the contents, which in addition to the advertised beans and rice includes diced tomato and visible spices. The cheese isn't as visible, being melted into the filling, but the flavor is present if subtle. The panelists noted that the overall flavor is "fresh," but "almost bland," and "not spicy at all" despite the jalapenos listed in the ingredients.

The Shredded Beef Burrito splits just a little in the microwave, but still there's no hint of sliminess to the tortilla and plenty of shredded beef in the filling that has a truly beefy, savory flavor that's punctuated with the sweetness of roasted corn and a hint of lime. Pinto beans and tomatoes round out the flavor, but again, this is not very spicy.

"Good, solid food," opined the panel. "Not as much flavor as some of the Sweet Earth burritos, but solid, honest food." The best comment? "This is what FitWrapz wanted to be."